Re: Graser beam observations

--- Oerjan Ohlson <oerjan.ohlson@telia.com> wrote:
> The "mosquitos" Indy talks about here are single-weapon, single-hull
> box strike boats like the ones Glen used. The reason for the CPV is 
> that a fleet of destroyers and/or cruisers - ie. considerably larger 
> than "mosquitos", but still not particularly large - usually *can't* 
> take out an equivalent massed/point-costed larger single opponent 
> ship.
> 

OK. I get that.

<snip 3-arc B3 vs 3-arc PTL>
> 
> !?!? You have to be kidding. The average damages inflicted by one
> shot of these two weapons are:
> 

<snip>

> 
> Even against level-1 screens, the B3 only beats the standard P-torp
> outside range 18 (and not by very much it doesn't beat the P-torp by 
> very much); inside range 18 the P-torp wins hands down. Against 
> level-*2* screens the P-torp beats the B3 at all ranges it can reach,

> leaving only the 30-36 mu band for the B3 to shine.
> 

Yeah, I have worked out the statistical average numbers myself. 
However, I am not talking about theoretical averages, but rather about
our empirical results acquired	repeatedly and consistently over many
games.

Our comparisons were acquired as follows:  A capital ship armed
exclusively with 3-arc B3s and a variant replacing the B3s with 3-arc
PTLs covering the exact same arcs.  Other variants replace B3s with
same mass covering same arcs of B2s, B4s, and B5s.  Designs were tried
in a variety of configurations and fire arc distributions.  4-6 such
ships are played as a squadron in close formation.  Usually 2x B3, 1-2x
PTL, 0-1x B2, and 0-1xB4 or B5 ships in the squadron.

Against homogeneous opposition squadrons, the PTLs consistently
produced poorer results than the B3 in terms of damage done per volley
except against Screen-3.  By maneuvering in close squadrons, the
targets were usually (~80%+) within the same arcs and +/- 2-3 MU. 
There was only one occasion of fire at <6 MU, and that was the only
instance of roughly equal performance between the B3s and PTLs against
ships with less than Screen-3.	If it had just happened once, we would
have written it off, but it was consistent and with ships firing
volleys of 4-12 torpedoes (depending on arc), so it was not the
anomalous results of single launcher "strikeboats".

At 1 MU = 1", the B4s and B5s were also outperformed by the B3s,
although we have not yet played enough games at 1 MU = 0.5" to see if
they are cost effective with the larger maneuver area, which I
understand they are supposed to be.

With this experience, we began allowing PTs penetrating rerolls on 6's,
which seems to balance them for us.  

J